Abstract: Increasing the sensitivity and resolution of LC/MS instruments has been an ongoing focus for instrument manufacturers. As a result of this increased sensitivity of today’s analytical instrumentation, the choice of high purity solvents can greatly influence the test results that are achieved.

Introduction: To meet the needs of the most demanding ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and mass spectrometry research and analytical testing applications, such as proteomics, drug discovery, pharmacokinetics, and clinical research, instrumentation is not the only parameter to be considered. Solvent design and selection is also very important. Performance of three specific solvents, (1) Acetonitrile, (2) Methanol, and (3) Water was examined in detail and the solvents were assessed for their suitability in selected LC/MS applications. In particular, the impact of packaging materials on the quality of LC/MS solvents was evaluated. The performance of LC/MS grade solvents was compared using LC/UV/MS gradient, MS infusion, and trace metals analysis. One way to ensure that high purity LC/MS grade solvents meet stringent purity requirements is by improving the packaging associated with the storage and delivery of these solvents. For example, certain containers can leach metal ions during storage, and lead to the formation of metal adducts, which can adversely impact test results.

Conclusions: Based on the data compiled for the study, the test results indicate that J.T.Baker® ULTRA LC/MS™ solvents are more suitable for use on UHPLC and high sensitivity mass spectrometry instrumentation. J.T.Baker® ULTRA LC/MS™ solvents also offer better performance than the other brands tested by delivering:

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